Waging a Quiet Revolution Against Fox

The other day I walked into a near by California Pizza Kitchen, pulled up to the counter, ordered a pepperoni pizza and then sat back to sip my iced tea. I then noticed when I looked up from the counter it was Fox News being beamed on every television in the place.

My guess is I probably add anywhere from $30 to $55 a month to CPK’s revenue. In my estimate that comes to at least $300 per year.

Something stuck in my craw and I had what can be considered a moment of clarity. I asked my server to send over the manager when things slowed down. The manager came over and I told him I had a request and the request was to show any channel but Fox. I said I understood if he couldn’t comply cause he may not have the latitude to make decisions like that. He smiled and said he would change channels right away. He changed the station on each TV.

I personally consider Rupert Murdock one of the most dangerous people in the world. His network is pure propaganda that has damaged America economically, socially, and militarily.

Feeling embolden I came up with an idea. It is an idea for a silent revolution. From now on when I go into an establishment and Fox News is playing I will ask them to change the station. If they care not to oblige me, I will simply inform them that I will at this moment and hence forward take my business elsewhere.

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This is a lone act. But think, if several hundred thousand Americans did this the impact it could have! We all have restaurants we frequent. It wouldn’t take long for word to start getting back to restaurant and bar companies that their advertising dollars might be better spent on other stations. And given Murdock’s News Corp. posted a $6.4 billion loss last quarter, this could be the time to act. If a hundred thousand people joined me in this, hat would be a potential $900,000 in revenue restaurants could lose for airing Fox News.

So, who’s with me? The next time you go into a restaurant and see Fox News, ask that the stations be changed. And be prepared to tell them politely yet firmly the economic impact they face for not complying with your request.

Kevin Lynn

Kevin Lynn is a delegate and member of the Executive Board to the California Democratic Party representing the 46th Assembly District which includes the Downtown Core, Little Tokyo, China Town, Boyle Heights and parts of East and South Los Angeles. He is formerly the leader of thePasadena Chapter for Democracy for America, one of the most potent political activist groups in the San Gabriel Valley. Kevin’s goal is to elect fiscally responsible and socially progressive Democratic leaders to office. To that end he is currently forming an umbrella organization called the Center for Progressive Urban Politics to assist political organizations with turning red districts blue and forcing our elected officials confront the difficult problems affecting the state of California. Kevin grew up on a small farm in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, is a former Army officer and currently works as a tax consultant. His hobbies are reading history, skiing, backpacking, political activism and yoga.

Comments

I have a better idea. NO to the TV in any restarant. If they have the on MUTE, then I don’t care, as I don’t have to look. Other than that, I look for another restaurnat

I use my TV to watch DVDs, and get my news online.

When I go out, I want to have a pleasant conversation with whomever I’m with, not be forced to endure the crap that’s on TV.

ALL channels– other than premium– are filled with 4 or 5 minutes of pathetic filler that passes for entertainment or news, then about TEN minutes of commercials–which are blasted at twice the volume of the “entertainment or “news”

I’ve done the same sort of request. I agree that if a hundred-thousand people did this routinely, it would have an effect. We certainly do have the right to pick our restaurants and our dentists, and we have the right to explain that we can take our business elsewhere. My explanation to the proprietors is that the right wing exemplified by Fox hates what I stand for and takes every opportunity to make slighting, insulting remarks about my way of thought. I don’t stand on the table and shout that conservatives are not too bright, I just eat my pizza. They can pay me the same courtesy.

I am the same way about Fox. It makes me happy and more likely to go back to the same doctors when they keep Fox News on in the lobby TV. It is a good way to show some people who refuse to watch Fox at home that it is not what some of their friends and neighbors have been telling them. Gosh, they might even learn something that they do not learn from their bias medias that they follow! You can see the look on their
faces that they are surprised.

When my dentist’s new, palatial office, with its marvelous ambient atmosphere, added a huge, loud TV tuned to Fox, I gasped to myself and then said softly, gently, and politely that if they ever took a poll on TV in waiting rooms, to please put me down as no. Whereupon she jumped up and started screaming and shouting at me. Stunned by her ferocity, my only comment in return was that I don’t like cable TV because it’s noise.

For the rest of my time there I was given the silent treatment with eyes averted. That included the dentist, even though I have been a patient of this practice my entire adult life. Later I sent a short, business letter to cancel my next appointment and mark my file closed. Then I received a phone call from the shocked office manager who adamantly denied any incident. At no time did I mention any channel in particular or make any demands or requests. The reasoning behind my initial comment was that I had always thought patient comfort was a high priority of theirs and that it was within my rights to not be intruded upon by one-sided proclamations. A medical office should be soothing, not a place of political indoctrination.

My pharmacist also now has Fox, with three chairs lined up in a row facing it, just like in school. In reply to my question, he said all the other channels were biased. I said only that they all lie [because there is nothing to be gained in arguing over political commentary].

I have to believe someone is paying these offices to run Fox or at least providing TVs free of charge if they stay tuned to Fox.

Wow, a progressive liberal that hates Fox. How original. Yes, Fox has a conservative bias. So what? Considering all the news stations we have with a liberal bias, it’s amazing how many people bitch about the ONE conservative station.

I know this might sound crazy, but just because a TV is on somewhere doesn’t mean you have to watch it. And just because you pay for a pizza, doesn’t mean you can decide the viewing habits of every customer there.

Naturally a Democrat would have these beliefs. Apparently Mr. Lynn is oblivious to the fact that virtually all the other cable news networks and all the “mainstream” news networks are blatantly liberal. He probably hadn’t noticed because those news stations just spew their liberal editorialized versions of current events and even select which are worthy of coverage. Since their spewage is right in concert with his beliefs, Mr. Lynn doesn’t even notice their blatant bias. In his mind things are as they should be. Like every Liberal, Mr. Lynn is arrogant to the degree that he has concluded that since he holds a certain set of beliefs and has thought of certain things, his beliefs and ideas are perfect and pure truth. They have to be because HE has come up with them. And it is just a fact that he is much smarter and kinder than any of us who disagree with him. Why do you suppose the business and many others have Fox News on their televisions in their businesses Mr. Lynn? Could it be because the proprietors of those businesses are tired of being made out to be the enemy of the “little guy” by your side and any number of other news networks? Good luck with your boycott. Last I checked Fox was creaming the competition by 30%-100% with regard to number of viewers. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Pravda like news service that could only do reporting that had been approved by yourself Mr. Lynn? Of course this would be a conflict for your side, what with your obsession about “first amendment rights”. I am sure this would be very difficult for you. But in the interest of championing what you have decided are correct beliefs and views I am sure you could make a huge sacrifice of your principles and make a “free speech” exception in the case of Fox News. They simply have to be done away with out of consideration for your imagined good of the country. Fox News is much more destructive than instant access pornography, incessant Gay mafia propaganda in all forms of media, and things like crucifixes in jars of urine and feces spattered likenesses of the Virgin Mary that are protected as “art”. Those things need our strict protection and need to be championed in the name of “free speech” and diversity. But not Fox News. Away with them!! Away with them!! Guess who watches Fox Kevin. People who do real jobs, have real businesses, pay taxes that are far too high, and are tired of being made out to be “hicks”. We believe in God as did our evil forefathers who founded that gives you and your boyfriends the freedom to walk about in your Liberal delirium. We can see a clear difference between and wrong. We are tired of seeing the fruits of our labors squandered in the name of your side’s causes. We are tired of being stereotyped in movies and television. We are tired of your side’s issues being shoved to the forefront with our tax dollars and our issues being marginalized. I will watch Fox News Mr. Lynn. Tell all your friends to stay out of businesses that have the audacity to have Fox on their televisions. Maybe I can sit in those places and not be judged since your buddies won’t be there.

msnbc differs from fox in one very important respect. msnbc does not lie or twist the truth to its viewers like fox does. its true that msnbc leans left and fox bends way over backwards to the right but the right needs to lie and twist the truth to survive. the left only needs a well informed electorate. too many people vote republican when they should be voting democrat. why people vote against their own economic interests is beyond comprehension. fox is already busy blaming obama (in his 3rd week in office) for the economic mess the right put us in. after all… they had the majority in EVERY branch of govt for most of the last 8 years. they controlled the agenda and rammed through whatever they pleased. we are living with the consequences. YET they have the nerve to blame democrats and ignorant republican voters believe them. it would be funny if it were not so tragic.

Thank you Kevin. so True
Last year I visited relatives in Utah. They have TV on Fox all day.
Early a story emerged about Animal Rights Activists, trying to free
animals being tested on.
Each time the news aired, the story had changed insidiously.
By the end of the day, Evil Terrorists were to blame, We were all in danger.

We are only in Danger of Fox Fueled Lies.

I told my relatives to listen more closely, see how they are being manipulated
and then change the channel.

I have told restaurants to turn it off before. Now more than ever.
Thanks Kevin for your insight and for your encouragement.

Hey! Fox is the only somewhat balanced news outlet on TV. ALL of the others, ABC, NBC, CBS (except on the radio it’s HearBS), CNN, MSNBC, etc are all so far to the left it’s not even funny.

And you lefty pukes (i.e. “progressives”) should be careful what you wish for. You’ll try to push things like the “Fairness Doctrine” to silence Fox–and then the right will turn it right around on all of the networks I named above. That could actually be fun to see.

And yeah, if you go into a restaurant that has Fox News on, you lefties definitely wouldn’t want to watch or even listen, because then you just might find out how you’re being lied to by the other stations.

–chicopanther
Let the revolution begin! I’ve got plenty of ammo, and I can shoot pretty straight.

I DON’T KNOW WHY IT IS BUT EVERY ESTALBISHEMENT THAT HAVE TV’S ARE TUNED TO FOX NEWS. SOME ARE AFRAID TO ASK FOR AT LEAST ONE SET TO BE CHANGED TO ANOTHER STATION, I ASK AND SOMETIMES I AM REFUSED. I WALK OUT OF THE PLACE EVEN IF I HAVE PLACED MY FOOD AND DRINK ORDER. IF I AHVE PAID FOR MY ORDER I ASK FOR MY MONEY BACK. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY DO ALL THE TV’S HAVE TO BE ON THE FOX NETWORK. HECK I WILL EVEN WATCH CARTOONS RATHER THAN FOX, BUT HEY WHY SHOULD I CARTOONS BY COMPARING THEM TO FOX.

You are right, you have a choice. I was never insinuating that you should be forced to watch anything. You’re missing the point. To make a business suffer because you don’t like what’s on the television is childish. I assume you are there to eat, correct? Not watch television. Though I must say the comparison of Fox to a dead cockroach, while funny, is absurd. I in no way want someone to take away your freedom of choice. I just want you people to realize that you are basing your stand on someone’s news preference.

Nazi flags and Klansman hats… wow.. you REALLY hate Fox don’t ya.
I just want at least ONE of your ilk, to admit that all the news channels are biased and bigoted, not just Fox. The problem is you just hate Fox because it not biased towards your views, the way every other news outlet is.

BTW, not buying into the Obama craze doesn’t make me a NeoCon, just makes me less of a sheep. I am and always have been, a registered democrat. I just happen to work for a living and actually pay my taxes.

It’s a fight! Murdoch is bad and needs to be fought down. It’s war against terrorism, REAL terrorism that destroys our democracy not some smalltime fanatics from the desert. Even the worst they can throw at us we overcome easily (hell, even the attack on the towers didn’t disrupt our country like Fox and Bush have done).

What people like Michael refuse to consider is that the proposal here is for small businesses to cater to their clientele. Truly, that is the crux of this idea.

It is called freedom of choice. Not freedom as in “vote how we want you to” but the actual “I have options” variety. And “choice”? Well, I realize that word isn’t in the 11th Edition of the NeoCon Merriam and Webster edition so we’ll let that slide for now.

I would consider this akin to seeing a dead roach on the floor. It is unclean, visually offensive, and is likely to ruin my meal in an indirect manner.

As a customer, I do not think I have the “right” to cram my opinions down an owner’s throat, and I’m pretty sure said businessman does not have the same privilege either. You want to slap on ESPN? I don’t think most people would have a problem with that.

I can “EAT MY FOOD” in a non-blustering, un-bigoted, non-hateful screed environment and be perfectly content. I wouldn’t eat in a place with a Nazi flag or a staff wearing Klan hoods, so why would I want to eat somewhere where slightly veiled racism, nativism, and discrimination of many, many forms is being aired? I wouldn’t, and I can give a restaurant a chance to not be lumped in with that ilk before walking out the door.

And if I cannot do that in that establishment after having my say, I can and will take my business elsewhere. The only businessmen being hurt here are those who don’t listen to their customers. And unless you are a Fortune 500 industry, no one is going to bail you out when you screw that up.

“If a hundred thousand people joined me in this, (t)hat would be a potential $900,000 in revenue restaurants could lose for airing Fox News.”

Yes, revenue for restaurants, not revenue for Fox. Open your eyes people. If you don’t want to watch Fox news while eating, EAT YOUR FOOD AND DON’T WATCH, because chances are, there are people who do want to watch it. There are also other people, like you, who don’t want to watch Fox, sitting there, EATING THEIR FOOD!

You are “Waging a Quiet Revolution Against” some poor soul trying to make a living.

Those who cannot distinguish MSNBC from Fox News are morally or intellectually bankrupt. Sure, MSNBC may not be a shining bastion of journalistic integrity, but comparing MSNBC to Fox is like comparing the clap to AIDS. It is not even like I am morally opposed to conservatism; I am morally opposed to the ridiculous, gutter level crap that is spewed out by every orifice of the Fox corporation every day.

Ignorance is bliss, unless you’re not completely ignorant. Anyone who supports your dribble is foolish. Why would you purposely harm business for a fellow American just because the TV in their establishment isn’t pandering to your liberal views. Enough with the Fox propaganda BS. The American media took a dump on itself in 08 just to prop up Obama for president. When newscasters start speaking opinion (or about the tingle in one’s legs or nether-regions) rather than the news, they become the greatest news channels around? When Fox throws out some unsavory facts about your new messiah, it becomes a demonized propaganda machine? Get over yourself liberals, you look foolish.
As far as lunch goes, you think the little corner cafe just likes making & serving food for the thrill? Sure, they have a passion for cooking, but if it wasn’t making them money, they’d be working elsewhere, not opening up a place for pansy ass, fight for nothing liberals like yourself, to eat with everyone else, without discrimination. So you go ahead and discriminate on Flo there. I’m sure you’ll make an impression in your fight for … what? What is it that you’re fighting for? Yet more news on how wonderful Obama is no matter what he does or how he screws up. Enjoy your grilled cheese.

the only reason Fox exists is because old people can reed the type better than on CNN, I too have asked several times the channel be changed when Fox is playing..I have never been turned down..by the way, if I am hurting small business that subscribe to Fox dribble, they do not deserve to be in business to begin with.

Great idea, Kevin! I have asked once in the past but need to make it a regular thing.

I have a client who is a huge Rush Limbaugh fan. When I visit their office (for up to a week at a time) I have to endure lunches with Rush Limbaugh show on the radio. It is extremely difficult to hold my tongue. I’m a very patriotic American and have nothing but contempt for Limbaugh, Fox News, and their ilk. They spread misinformation, divisiveness, and hate. They’re worse since America turned it’s back on their ideology in the last election. They want President Obama to fail even if it’s at the great and permanent expense to Americans and America.

Um, what channel did you want? Cause whatever it is, let me know so I can start a “revolution” against it.

What’s funny is that you think that just because you don’t like Fox, others shouldn’t watch it either. Did you think that maybe someone in that place was watching the show and didn’t want the confrontation of asking for the channel to not be changed? Seriously. I HATE when I’m sitting there eating food, watching a show and some high on his horse jerk comes in and demands that the channel be changed. Others were there first.

My guess is that if I had stood up and said something, you would have taken a mightier than thou stance and made a scene.

A couple of reporters for a Fox News station researched a story about Monsanto’s Posilac, a bovine growth hormone (BGH) injected into dairy cows to increase milk production. They found that a lot of damaging information about harmful human and animal side effects had been ignored or suppressed and yet the product was still put on the market. They were all set to do an expose on air when they were ordered by their bosses (under pressure from Monsanto) to change the program to make it less damaging to Monsanto. In the end, they refused to make the changes the station and Monsanto wanted and they were fired. They claim they were actually ordered to tell outright lies in favor of Monsanto in their planned documentary.

The two reporters, Steve Wilson and Jane Akre, won a substantial judgment for unfair dismissal under Florida’s whistleblower protection act. The court believed that they were fired because they were legitimately trying to expose the harmful effect of Monsanto’s BGH product. However, on appeal the judgment was overturned as (get this) the appeals court ruled Fox was under no legal obligation to present the truth on its news shows and therefore the whistleblower act could not be applied in their case.

I’m with you. I canceled my cable service months ago because I was sick and tired of “bundling” where I don’t get a say in what I pay for. I refuse to give Fox News, the religious channels, the sports channels and the other drivel (I don’t speak Spanish and am not interested in that either) my money. Until I can pick and choose which stations I get, nobody’s getting my money!

And the last thing I want in a public place is being assaulted by someone else’s idea of news. Fox actually looks like a parody of the “People’s TV” channel in the wonderful movie, V…

I’ve gone even farther than ‘politely’ asking to change the channel… I’ve marched right up to it and turned the damn thing OFF! I go out to eat to talk to friends, not be distracted by talking idiots.

Why not take it one step further? Lets boycott every restaurant that doesn’t have democrat slogans on the walls and pictures of Obama hanging. Seriously? you want to ruin small businesses because they may not agree with your viewpoint? you sir are sick. laprogressive.com has just joined my blocked sites list thanks to your stupid tirade

I have been doing this for years. If they don’t want to change it, or better yet shut it off, I’ll be on my way. There are plenty of places that want my lunch money, and I’m glad to give it to them for catering to their guests.

I don’t mind a television in a restaurant at lunch. That’s where I draw the line though.

What does MSNBC have anything to do with the fact that Fox is a propaganda network. That is a red herring and all it does it detour you from the topic. Judge Fox on its own merits and MSNBC on its own merits and they both suck.

I have a better system. I never go into restaurants with TVs. There is no decent restaurant that has TVs playing while you eat. If you want to see the extreme example, I suggest you try the worst restaurant in LA, the “TV Cafe,” it’s downtown by the freight yards. There is literally no place you can look and not see a TV.

[…] on the waiting room television is a bit over the edge. Kevin Lynn would think otherwise. From the LA Progressive: The other day I walked into a near by California Pizza Kitchen, pulled up to the counter, ordered […]

The Body Politic

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